--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: EG^00000 Date: 12/30/97 From: DEREK STARR Time: 05:59pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: FIP and Diagnosis Hey, gang: I just had the worst experience of my life. We had a beautiful 6 month old kitten, who acted like a Ragdoll. She was a lover beyond any cat I've ever seen, just the most calm and affectionate thing ever. Well, she started getting a little sick, so we took her to what was supposed to be one of the better places in town. It's called "Tacoma Cat Hospital" in Tacoma, WA. Well, the vet checked her out, saying she had an infection of some sort. He didn't want to do a blood work-up on her, but we finally got one by insisting repeatedly (why he balked we don't know). It was inconclusive about what was wrong, even on the specific major fatal diseases that have obvious signs. He started going on about how she might have FIP, but if so it was the strangest case of it he'd ever seen. So he retested her and it was positive for FIP. Now, all along he kept mentioning this disease and graphic discriptions on what she'd go thru'. This before he was even halfway sure she had it (note my comment earlier about it being "weird symptoms.) We waited all weekend for a call that never came, and you all can guess how upset we were and unable to think straight or sleep. After all, our cats/pets are very special to us. Sure, he had mentioned that she might get better, but there was VERY little "let's be sure before we act further" attitude on his part. So yesterday we were finally told the test came back positive for FIP. Now, all along when he kept mentioning this bug, he kept mentioning that it was best that we put her down due to how terrible this bug was. So we were so grief-stricken about this that we did so, wanting to save her the agony of the disease's progression. He did not ask if we were very positive about the decision to put her down--no second opinion, no retesting, etc. Well, today I spoke to several other vets in detail about this, as well as doing some extensive research on my own. While my kitten may have had FIP, it has similar simptoms to that of other diseases, and if suspected should ALWAYS be retested for, preferably by another vet. So while my baby may have indeed had FIP, he WAS NOT CERTAIN and still pushed us into putting her down! And what infuriates me even more was that we were supposed to have been able to visit and hold her for as long as we wished, yet they brought her to us, and without letting US decide that it was time, just barged in on us and got to the matter. I didn't want to be there or see it and had said so clearly. Yet without knocking, they just walked in; I looked up to see who it was and found myself staring right at the means of doing the matter. Needless to say, I was beyond freaked out. I am just devestated by all this, because we felt like they took advantage of our fears and grief. I spoke to them today about what I learned, and the vet acted like he didn't want to end her life and how dare we question his training! All I did was tell him what I had learned. He never showed the slightest feelings for how we feel now, and made me feel like I was at fault! His "bedside manner" was atrocious. We feel like we may very likely have put Diana kitten down for nothing more than a curable infection!! The reason for this story is partially to help ease my grief, and also as a word of caution to all you cat (and pet) lovers. Please, PLEASE!! get your cats vacinated for FIP if you haven't already! I wasn't aware of this deadly disease! And if any tests on your cat even HINTS at this bug or another of the fatal ones, PLEASE get a second opinion!! If this guy hadn't mentioned this bug before he even had any certainty, we would've done so, and maybe she'd be alive today, recovering from something far less severe and treatable. As it is, my partner and I will never know for sure, and we will never be able to ease the feeling that a beautiful kitten was put down because some young vet jumped the gun and didn't try to save her. And if you live in my area of Tacoma, WA, I strongly advise you to never, ever take your feline companion to this vet (Tacoma Cat Hospital). Maybe other customers have had better luck, but they should listen to what we just experienced. Please don't go to this place. And for everyone, please check out a vet thoroughly before trusting your beloved pets to them. If my experience saves one cat from being put down needlessly (FIP if often misdiagnosed), then maybe my kitten can rest a bit easier. -- DS Darkstarr of Elfhame Virtual Adept Archdeacon & Shadow Court Instigator --- CNet/3 * Origin: Alpha's Attic - Tacoma WA - (253)272-8083 (1:138/258) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: EG^00001 Date: 12/30/97 From: ROBERT RICHARDS Time: 09:57pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Some More Cat Pic's Z""""""":. ": ":. ":. : .... : :' .:"" """: ^ .^ ": "" ". /:\-^-v^./: \ ":..: . ":. . \/ \ / : ..: .: """ / (.)(.) \ : ..': ; .' ." ) /~\ ( :" : : : :. '))) `- \ U / - ' l \ :`---'. \'))) "': :. "": ; (_))) I did "enhance" it a little ,. ., ,: ':. .,. .:' :, ,', '.:' ':.' ,', : '. ' ' .' : ', : ' ' : ,' '.' .,:,. .,:,. '.' ,: V '. .' V :, ,: / ' :, ,: :, ,: =:= :, ,: , : , :, :' ',.,' ',.,:' ': :' ':WW::' '. .:' '::::' ': ,: '::::' :, :' ':::' ': ,: ':'' :. .:' '. ',. ,:' '' '. .:' .', ': .:' .'., : .: .,'' : :: .,'' ,: :: .,'',' .:' .,::'. .,',' ::::. .:' ',. ,:, ,WWWWW, :' : :W:' :WWWWWWW, : ', WWW WWWWWWWWW '. ', WWW :WWWWWWWWW '. : WWW :WWWWWWWW' '. ,: WWW :WWWWWWW' '. .W: WWW :WWWWWW' '. :WW: WWW :WWWWW' .,' '':: :W: :WWWWW. .,::::'' ,' ''','',',','','''WWWWW::::'' ':,,,,,,,': : : : : : :WWWW''' Robert Richards - Sysop Alpha's Attic Robert.Richards@f258.n138.z1.fidonet.org --- CNet/3 * Origin: Alpha's Attic - Tacoma WA - (253)272-8083 (1:138/258) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: EG^00002 Date: 12/30/97 From: CAROL SHENKENBERGER Time: 05:20pm \/To: SONJA WAIT (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: Kittens found *** Quoting Sonja Wait from a message to Miss Kitty *** SW> The kittens are slowly learning to keep their claws to themselves. I SW> think playing with each other their learning how sharp their claws are SW> And surprisingly enough they are still getting along with our son. : SW> But right now they have learned how to get on top of tables and count SW> tops. We are spraying them....but they are playing with our patience. You have to keep at it. One day, you will find they no longer climb on the things you dont allow. Be warned though, you have to select just a few items for this treatment. Cats are not dogs, and will not stay just on the floor. You have to let them climb on some of the stuff. I dont let mine on the dinner table, kitchen counters, or stove. Just about anything else is ok with us. xxcarol --- Telegard v3.09.g1 * Origin: SHENK'S EXPRESS Norfolk VA 757-486-3057 28.8 Dual (1:275/100) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: EG^00003 Date: 12/30/97 From: CAROL SHENKENBERGER Time: 05:24pm \/To: SONJA WAIT (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: Kittens found *** Quoting Sonja Wait from a message to Miss Kitty *** SW> Thank you for the advice. Fortunately we did put most of the ornament SW> high enough that the kittens couldn't get to them....but when they bec SW> cats next year, we will have to rethink the tree thing. Basically the Grin, cats will learn to leave the tree pretty much alone, but it will take 3 Xmases before you gain the benefits. Tie the tree at the top with 80lb test fishing line to the wall. Leave the nails/hooks for next year. Spending the money for a 'fuller' looking tree, is a godsend with cats. SW> kittens are good till they play with our patience with getting onto th SW> tables and counter tops. We spray them with water....but that doesn't SW> work when were not in the same room or not at home. Any advice? Another had advice. Tape, rounded so they have to step on the sticky parts. I'll add mine. Dont leave food out or stuff that they would consider 'toys' for a bit. xxcarol --- Telegard v3.09.g1 * Origin: SHENK'S EXPRESS Norfolk VA 757-486-3057 28.8 Dual (1:275/100) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: F1100000 Date: 12/31/97 From: JO PESHEK Time: 12:04am \/To: GERALD LORUSSO (Read 0 times) Subj: Cat training? GL> ...told me to blow in the cats face. She explaind GL> that cats do not like being blown in the face and GL> will eventilally associate going after my hands and GL> being blown in the face. I did that to a kitten once and it reached up and hooked my lip with a claw. If you don't want the kitten to consider your hands toys, don't use them as such. Another drawback to blowing on cats is they may come to expect it. Your breath tells them a lot about you, brings them new scents to savor, expands their horizons. Mine happen to like sniffing breath...to the extent that they will almost crawl into one's mouth in interest. Good luck with your kitten, you might try shunning the kitten when it behaves badly with it's claws. Sometimes that works best. ... . 0-m ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20 --- Maximus/2 2.02 * Origin: The Funny Papers * Lodi, NJ * (973)478-8476 (1:2604/104) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: F1100001 Date: 12/25/97 From: MISS KITTY Time: 02:28pm \/To: DENISE MORRIS (Read 0 times) Subj: How to get cats -> Hubby and I adopted two kittens from separate local cities in July -> and August. Buttons is black and white and was supposed to be "my" -> cat, so Hubby picked out Samantha from an Akron OH litter, she's a -> grey tiger cat. Well, over time, Samantha adopted me, and Buttons -> has taken over my Hubby. Go figure. Normally I feed both cats, so -> you'd think they might like me. That's funny! Well, cats choose who they want to be with, so I'm not too surprised...our two cats go back and forth from being momma's boys, to daddy's boys.... --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Kitty's Keep BBS * 714-871-2227 * Fullerton, CA * (1:103/441.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: F1100002 Date: 12/25/97 From: MISS KITTY Time: 10:21pm \/To: JO PESHEK (Read 0 times) Subj: bears, oh my! -> from mouth, turn tree to dry area. *I* gave up after a -> half hour and put the tree in a locked room. Charlie -> never even got a chance to check out the tree. 'Tis the -> season. Hahahahahha --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Kitty's Keep BBS * 714-871-2227 * Fullerton, CA * (1:103/441.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: F1100003 Date: 12/26/97 From: MISS KITTY Time: 10:04pm \/To: ROBERT RICHARDS (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: 12 Days of Christmas - A Cat's Rendi22:04:4612/26/97 -> This is Just So Cute! Makes me wish my Printer worked (or was even -> here for that matter), it would look Great with the Other Cards in -> the Living room, and then my Cats could Snoop it like Crazy. (Like -> that is Different???) I got some nice cards for Christmas, but none with cats on them....go figure...hahah --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Kitty's Keep BBS * 714-871-2227 * Fullerton, CA * (1:103/441.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: F1100004 Date: 12/26/97 From: MISS KITTY Time: 10:05pm \/To: ROBERT RICHARDS (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: Cat Doorgame -> MK> Thanks for posting that! I lost it along the way somewhere! -> -> I see Iam Not the Only Collector of the Cat Ralated here... Glad -> to do it! I have TONS of stuff for cats - ascii pix, poems, jokes, etc... --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Kitty's Keep BBS * 714-871-2227 * Fullerton, CA * (1:103/441.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 277 CATS Ref: F1100005 Date: 12/26/97 From: MISS KITTY Time: 10:13pm \/To: GERALD LORUSSO (Read 0 times) Subj: Cat training? -> I have a gray femail cat in the house about 2 months old. Thc kitten -> is very playfull and I want to teach it not to put it's pars out or -> bite a person's hands. I called the Massachusetts Society for the -> Prevention or Cruelty to Animals and a person in the shelter told me -> to blow in the cats face. She explaind that cats do not like being -> blown in the face and will eventilally associate going after my -> hands and being blown in the face. That's a good idea, and it won't hurt the cat. You could also use a squirt gun and give the cat a shot of water (NOT in the face!) and shout "No!" at the same time. --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Kitty's Keep BBS * 714-871-2227 * Fullerton, CA * (1:103/441.0)